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Mangoni D, Mazzetti A, Ansaloni F, Simi A, Tartaglia GG, Pandolfini L, Gustincich S, Sanges R. From the genome's perspective: Bearing somatic retrotransposition to leverage the regulatory potential of L1 RNAs. Bioessays 2025; 47:e2400125. [PMID: 39520370 PMCID: PMC11755705 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 10/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/23/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genomic elements constituting a big fraction of eukaryotic genomes. They ignite an evolutionary arms race with host genomes, which in turn evolve strategies to restrict their activity. Despite being tightly repressed, TEs display precisely regulated expression patterns during specific stages of mammalian development, suggesting potential benefits for the host. Among TEs, the long interspersed nuclear element (LINE-1 or L1) has been found to be active in neurons. This activity prompted extensive research into its possible role in cognition. So far, no specific cause-effect relationship between L1 retrotransposition and brain functions has been conclusively identified. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence suggests that interactions between L1 RNAs and RNA/DNA binding proteins encode specific messages that cells utilize to activate or repress entire transcriptional programs. We summarize recent findings highlighting the activity of L1 RNAs at the non-coding level during early embryonic and brain development. We propose a hypothesis suggesting a mutualistic relationship between L1 mRNAs and the host cell. In this scenario, cells tolerate a certain rate of retrotransposition to leverage the regulatory effects of L1s as non-coding RNAs on potentiating their mitotic potential. In turn, L1s benefit from the cell's proliferative state to increase their chance to mobilize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Mangoni
- Center for Human Technologies, Non‐Coding RNAs and RNA‐Based TherapeuticsIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
| | - Aurora Mazzetti
- Area of NeuroscienceInternational School for Advanced Studies (SISSA)TriesteItaly
| | - Federico Ansaloni
- Center for Human Technologies, Non‐Coding RNAs and RNA‐Based TherapeuticsIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
| | - Alessandro Simi
- Center for Human Technologies, Non‐Coding RNAs and RNA‐Based TherapeuticsIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
| | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Center for Human Technologies, RNA Systems BiologyIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
| | - Luca Pandolfini
- Center for Human Technologies, Non‐Coding RNAs and RNA‐Based TherapeuticsIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
| | - Stefano Gustincich
- Center for Human Technologies, Non‐Coding RNAs and RNA‐Based TherapeuticsIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
| | - Remo Sanges
- Center for Human Technologies, Non‐Coding RNAs and RNA‐Based TherapeuticsIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)GenovaItaly
- Area of NeuroscienceInternational School for Advanced Studies (SISSA)TriesteItaly
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Berrino E, Miglio U, Bellomo SE, Debernardi C, Bragoni A, Petrelli A, Cascardi E, Giordano S, Montemurro F, Marchiò C, Venesio T, Sapino A. The Tumor-Specific Expression of L1 Retrotransposons Independently Correlates with Time to Relapse in Hormone-Negative Breast Cancer Patients. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121944. [PMID: 35741073 PMCID: PMC9221920 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-Interspersed Nuclear Element (L1) retrotransposons are silenced in healthy tissues but unrepressed in cancer. Even if L1 reactivation has been associated with reduced overall survival in breast cancer (BC) patients, a comprehensive correlation with clinicopathological features is still missing. METHODS Using quantitative, reverse-transcription PCR, we assessed L1 mRNA expression in 12 BC cells, 210 BC patients and in 47 normal mammary tissues. L1 expression was then correlated with molecular and clinicopathological data. RESULTS We identified a tumor-exclusive expression of L1s, absent in normal mammary cells and tissues. A positive correlation between L1 expression and tumor dedifferentiation, lymph-node involvement and increased immune infiltration was detected. Molecular subtyping highlighted an enrichment of L1s in basal-like cells and cancers. By exploring disease-free survival, we identified L1 overexpression as an independent biomarker for patients with a high risk of recurrence in hormone-receptor-negative BCs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, L1 reactivation identified BCs with aggressive features and patients with a worse clinical fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Berrino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy;
| | - Umberto Miglio
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Sara Erika Bellomo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
| | - Carla Debernardi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy;
| | - Alberto Bragoni
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy;
| | - Annalisa Petrelli
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Eliano Cascardi
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy;
| | - Silvia Giordano
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo Montemurro
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Caterina Marchiò
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy;
| | - Tiziana Venesio
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-011-9933547; Fax: +39-011-9933480
| | - Anna Sapino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (E.B.); (U.M.); (S.E.B.); (A.B.); (A.P.); (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.); (C.M.); (A.S.)
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy;
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